ZNC Manager: overview and setup

ZNC is an IRC bouncer: a program on a server that stays connected to IRC networks for you and lets your clients connect to it.

SwizzinIRC can manage your ZNC bouncer from its own window: list your networks, add one, change its servers, identity and channels, and create the matching SwizzinIRC connection in the same step.

It works through ZNC’s normal chat interface (the *status, *controlpanel and *sasl pseudo-users, the same commands you could type). You do not need ZNC’s web page or a custom ZNC module. What it can do is therefore exactly what ZNC’s own commands allow, within your account’s permissions.

Set up the ZNC connection (once)

1. Choose Servers → Add server… and open the ZNC bouncer section.
2. Server: your ZNC’s host and port, with TLS on.
3. Authentication: Server password (PASS). In the password field enter only your ZNC account password.
4. Tick This server is a ZNC bouncer, enter your ZNC user name, and leave ZNC network empty for your default session (or enter a network name to chat on that network).
5. Save and connect.

You never type user/network:password: SwizzinIRC builds that login string when it connects. Older profiles where the whole string was typed as the password keep working, but the manager needs the separate user field.

Opening the manager

When the server advertises ZNC’s capabilities, Servers → ZNC Manager… becomes available. The manager confirms by asking ZNC’s *status for its version and shows the answer. If the server does not answer like a ZNC, the manager says so and stays closed. Ordinary IRC servers never show ZNC actions.

The manager signs in a second, hidden connection to the same ZNC with the same stored credential. It never appears in the window list and cannot disturb your chat windows. The dashboard shows the server, your ZNC account, TLS state, ZNC’s version, whether management is available, and your networks.

Everything shown comes from ZNC’s replies. Anything ZNC does not answer clearly is reported as uncertain, never as success.

The controlpanel module

Changing settings needs ZNC’s controlpanel module. If your account does not have it, the manager offers Enable ZNC management. After you confirm, SwizzinIRC makes one attempt to load it. If ZNC refuses, the manager says so, does not try again, and changes no global setting. Without controlpanel you can still see your networks and chat normally.

Permissions

What you can do depends on your ZNC account: network limit, DenySetNetwork, DenyLoadMod, and admin status. ZNC’s refusals are shown in plain words. SwizzinIRC manages only your own account.

Not offered

Administering other users, global modules, ZNC’s web settings, installing third-party modules, access to ZNC.conf, and editing TrustAllCerts.

Tested versions

ZNC 1.10.3 and 1.8.2. A different ZNC version or language may produce a reply SwizzinIRC does not recognise; in that case the step is reported as uncertain rather than guessed.